Thursday, March 8, 2012

It is Day Ten of what has turned out to be some double-respiratory-infection hotness. I'm finally feeling better, but Kristen is beginning to fall under the weather.

So now is the best time to impart the recipe for one of the great medicines! Think of it as the Irish Chicken Soup. A remedy for all your ills.*

[*This statement has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease, but is very delicious.]
I discovered Hot Whiskey on a cold rainy October night in Doolin, Ireland back in 2003. Nothing warms the cockles of one's cockles like a proper hot whiskey. It tastes better than tea, feels great on a cold evening, and temporarily soothes an aching throat. For some time, I've been trying to reverse engineer the most accurate recipe on my own. This is it.

Note: It is of the utmost importance that Powers Whiskey ($15-$20!) be used. It's what the locals use. Its flavors combine best with the ingredients. And it's a mighty fine Irish blend at that. Using Jamesons or Tullamore Dew or Paddy's or Michael Collins or any fancy whiskies will not taste the same. Believe me, I've tried.

1. First, boil that water.2. Second, pour a little of the hot water into the mug/glass and swirl it around. Don't burn yourself! Spill it out. Now you have a properly heated receptacle.3. Put the brown sugar in the mug/glass, then add the whiskey on top. Give it a little stir so that the sugar dissolves a bit.4. Stick the cloves into the lemon slice(s). Try to poke them into the white part (the pith!). If that doesn't work, press them into the pulp.5. Carefully (to avoid losing whiskey) slide the lemon slice(s) into the mug/glass with the whiskey and sugar.6. Pour the insanely hot water into the mug/glass until filled.7. Give it a couple of stirs to make sure the sugar has fully dissolved. Wait a moment or three to let the flavors combine, and also to avoid scalding your face.8. Savour slowly.

Mugs hold the heat longer and approximate the size of the serving you'd get in a pub. Glasses show off the lovely colour and make it easier to see if the sugar has dissolved. So if you have a Irish Coffee Glass (8oz), that makes for the best drinkware here.

On a responsible note: If you are sick, please do not consume more than 3 ounces of whiskey. Overconsumption of alcohol can lower one's zinc levels, in turn risking further sickness.

If you're not sick, who am I to tell you how to run your life? There are 25 ounces of whiskey in that bottle!